A sweeping global study has found that children who receive smartphones before the age of 13 face significantly higher risks of poor mental health outcomes, including depression, aggression, low self-worth, and even suicidal thoughts later in life.
The research, which surveyed nearly 2 million people across more than 160 countries, highlights that early exposure to smartphones and social media can disrupt healthy emotional and social development. Experts are urging parents to delay giving smartphones to preteens, emphasizing that the minimum recommended age for smartphone ownership and social media use should be 13. The findings have sparked renewed calls for policy changes, school bans, and parental vigilance to protect children's mental well-being.
The study underscores that the digital habits formed in childhood can have profound and lasting effects on mental health into adulthood.
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